Although Guilin's weather makes it suitable for traveling to all year round, the best time to visit Guilin is from April until November.
This period offers warmer weather, great views, and more opportunities for a variety of outdoor activities.
There are still going to be some slight differences in the best times based on your interests and needs. Our article gives you suitable travel-date options for different preferences and interests as well as seasonal travel tips.
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- Best Time for Good Weather
- Best Times for Natural Beauty
- Best Times for Family Travel
- The Worst Times to Visit Guilin
- Guilin Travel Guide by Month
Best Time for Good Weather
If you are looking for less rain with hot-to-mild and often sunny weather, then the autumn months from September to November are the best choice.
Especially for couples, such good weather provides an excellent backdrop for celebrating your anniversary, birthday, or other significant milestones.
With this delightful weather, Yangshuo, in Guilin's countryside, is an excellent destination. There, you could admire the golden autumn paddy fields and cycle by them with the backdrop of the setting sun.
Enjoying a romantic candlelit dinner on a riverside lawn in the gentle evening breeze would be a wonderful ending to a day of sightseeing.
Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.
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Thank you Lele for your highly extensive level of professionalism and grace.
This was my first trip abroad and I was not sure what to expect. Our tour guide Lele in Guilin was beyond amazing. Lele provided us with extensive knowledge about the culture and its history. Lele was very accommodating and managed our family with ease and grace. Lele took the time to engage with us each personally throughout the trip which made the tour even more meaningful. Lele was always punctual and highly organized during our trip. Simply put, Lele makes it feel as if you are touring abroad with your best friend. You almost forget that you are away from home. Thank you China Highlights for your amazing tour and thank you Lele for your highly extensive level of professionalism and grace. If you have the opportunity to take a trip with this company do not hesitate. It is worth it. more
Apr 2026, Machel O
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Amazing Family Holiday in Guilin!
Although our father had limited mobility, Chase and our driver were very kind and ensured that he still had opportunities to enjoy the beautiful scenery with us, organised transport to and from venues, and was also considerate in ensuring that he was comfortable whilst waiting for some of us to finish hiking. Chase also kindly gave recommendations for activities to complement our trip, including learning Chinese painting, and joining the local Guilin Toastmasters meeting, which was a great way to share ideas and learn from local people as well as an opportunity to practice my Mandarin. Special thanks again to the China Highlights team, including Leeky, our Guilin tour guide Chase, and our driver, for carefully tailoring our trip schedule according to our interests. As always, they were very considerate of all our needs and flexible depending on the situation to ensure that we all enjoyed a good time together. The small group nature of China Highlights tours led by an expert local guide meant that we could enjoy a more in-depth and personalised experience. We would highly recommend China Highlights to anyone considering a future trip to China! more
Apr 2025, Jacinta
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My Mesmerizing Visit to Guilin and Yangshuo
April 2025 is my third visit to mainland China and just like my first two visits in 2019 and 2024, it was China Highlights who help me organize everything. We arrived in Guilin at around 2AM on April 21 and Chase was already there at the airport waiting for my mother and I. Chase grew up in Guangxi so he pretty much knows a lot about Guilin and Yangshuo’s history. His English is okay, and he was warm and hospitable towards us. My mother is 82-years old so Chase pulled out all stops to assist her in walking and ensuring her comfort all throughout the tour. more
Apr 2025, Kristine
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Best Times for Natural Beauty
Guilin is a scenic city. Whenever you visit, you could enjoy beautiful landscapes of mountains, rivers, and countryside. However, if you want to see its top seasonal scenery, the best times are during spring and autumn.
In spring, with the drizzling rain and mist, the peaks, rivers, and villages along the Li River seem to be adorned with a thin pastel layer, having blurred outlines and soft colors and best resembling a traditional Chinese painting.
In autumn, the rice terraces at Longji Terraced Fields become a vast golden-tiered spectacle. Mature rice crops spread like waves across the terraces, shimmering in the sunlight, resembling a golden scroll painting.
Best Times for Family Travel
For families with flexible schedules, autumn and spring are the best times for travel. As mentioned above, during these seasons, you could enjoy beautiful scenery, pleasant weather, and plenty of outdoor activities for children. Additionally, there are fewer tourists compared to the peak summer season (apart from around the first week of October).
For families with school-aged children, your timing of vacations may be more fixed and the available options are limited.
Generally, a summer vacation is the most common choice. Guilin's hot summer offers kids cool and enjoyable outdoor activities, such as paddleboarding and cave exploration, along with numerous indoor cultural experiences, such as making paper fans.
If you choose to travel in the Christmas holiday season, Guilin also offers many activities. Hiking in the countryside, enjoying a city walking and food discovery tour, and taking cooking classes are all great experiences.
No matter in what season you visit, we would carefully customize your itinerary to balance the interests of your family and create quality family time without any hassles. Just contact us.
The Worst Times to Visit Guilin
The rainy season is a rather bothersome factor. Guilin is affected by early monsoon rains during the early summer, leading to the onset of the rainy season. May/June is the rainiest period.
When traveling during this period, a flexible itinerary is necessary because adjustments may be required due to unforeseen weather conditions.
If you prefer a quieter travel environment, you may need to avoid the Labor Day holiday (around May 1–5) and National Day holiday (around October 1–7). They are the peak tourist weeks in Guilin.
However, the issues encountered during the worst times can be minimized through flexible planning and enough knowledge of the destination. That's what we could do for you by creating your own hassle-free trip.
Guilin Travel Guide by Month
Our private tours offer you customized options and more personal space with a private guide who is only available for your family/couple/group. We provide a more in-depth and less-touristy experience as well as a worry-free tour. Just contact us to create a hassle-free trip.
- January
- February
- March
- April
- May
- June
- July
- August
- September
- October
- November
- December
Guilin in January
- Average daily temperature range: 7–13°C (45–55°F)
- Average rainy days: 11
- Average sunny days: 4
- Average cloudy days: 15
January in Guilin is cool and crisp, with occasional rain. This is an ideal time for those seeking a peaceful getaway with fewer tourists.
Take a leisurely river cruise along the Li River and visit an artist on the bank of the river to immerse yourself in the local culture, such as learning to make a paper fan and using Chinese painting skills.
Recommended China Tours
All of our tours can be adjusted or customized based on your requirements. Just contact us if you have a good idea about what you want to do. You could also start from one of our popular itineraries including Guilin: